Oregon food bank recalls pumpkin seeds, yeast

The Oregon Food Bank is voluntarily recalling two additional products — pumpkin seeds and nutritional yeast — after an earlier recall of chia seeds — because of health concerns.

All three products were distributed in Clark County in 1-pound plastic poly film bags with a twist-type closure or a resealable pouch.

On Saturday, the Oregon Food Bank announced the recall of 1,219 pounds of nutritional yeast that had been donated to the food bank. It was distributed between Nov. 1 and March 16. No illness has been reported, but it was donated at the same time as the two other recalled products.

The organization recalled 63,825 pounds of pumpkin seeds that were distributed between Nov. 1 and March 16. The pumpkin seeds have the potential to be contaminated with listeria species. Listeria organisms can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems, according to a food bank news release.

Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, listeria monocytogenes infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths. Anyone who has eaten the pumpkin seeds and is experiencing symptoms of foodborne illness should contact their physician or county health department.

On Monday, the food bank recalled 22,200 pounds of donated chia seeds that may be contaminated with rodent droppings. The seeds were distributed between Nov. 1 and March 9.

People should dispose of the products immediately. For information, call Ryan Wist, Oregon Food Bank’s compliance manager, at 503-419-4160.